Kayaking is becoming an increasingly popular paddle sport. As of 2013, there are 13 million U.S. kayakers and 10 million U.S. canoeists. International-based paddlers in the EU, South America, Africa & Asia may equal these numbers. When kayaking and canoeing, a paddler typically sits in a low-to-the-water vessel facing forward, legs in front, using a single or double-bladed paddle to pull front-to-back on one side and then the other in rotation. Kayaks and canoes have open or closed decks, although sit-on-top and inflatable kayaks are growing in popularity.
Often, users of kayaks and similar watercraft wish to fish while paddling. Along these lines, a number of kayaks incorporate rod holder(s) that allow mounting a fishing rod to the kayak. Many older kayak designs rely on bungee straps to secure fishing rods behind the seated operator. In such an arrangement, a user may play out a length of fishing line having a baited hook or lure, place the end of the fishing rod within the rod holder and begin paddling. This allows a user to troll for fish while paddling. However, tending the fishing rod while paddling is often cumbersome and lessens the chance of hooking a fish when the fish strikes the trailing hook/lure. Such multitasking with two platforms (paddle and rod) also increases the probability of hook related snags and punctures of the fisherman. Such dual platforms require multitasking demands, which impacts personal labor, observation, stability and safety awareness.